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Evening Star, Issue 23665, 27 August 1940, Page 6

An indication that a radio device on which his son was working has been accepted by the War Office for further investigation has been received by Mr Ballantiue Burnnaud, of Auckland. The son, Gunner G. A. K. Burnnaud, is in Egypt. In a letter, Gunner Buruuand says; “ I have just returned from an interview with our colonel. He has received confirmation from England that the device 1 was working on has been accepted by the War Office, and they are working on it. He gave me his congratulations and those of Major Gentry, G. 5.0.2, who told him he is going to let General Freyberg know about it.”

Sunday last was the anniversary of the wreck of the steamer Devon (G,059 tons), near Peuearrow lighthouse. Entering Wellington Heads from Auckland on the night of August 25, 191:5, the Devon rau into a rain squall and went aground, tearing a bole in her plates below the engine room. The crew were rescued next day by means of a breeches buoy. The ship soon began to break up, and its destruction was hastened in May, 1914, when Sir lan Hamilton, In-spector-General of the Imperial Forces, visited New Zealand. The wreck was shelled by Gin guns from Fort Dorset for his benefit, but although several hits were made, subsequent inspection showed that it was little damaged, and after a quarter of a century’s battering from the sea the Devon’s how is still visible.

That handy clearing station known as the “ dug-out,” in the Octagon, is now being regularly used on Fridays, and occasionally on Saturday mornings, for the sale of goods, the proceeds going to swell the funds of the Patriotic Council. The management of tin's branch of the council’s activities is in the hands of the organisations associated with the mayoress’s committee, and this week members of the Travel Club will operate the dug-out' on Fridiiv. Any saleable miods will he thankfully received by the secretary of the club.

News of Count Felix von Lueknor, who visited Christchurch in the autumn of 1938, comes by a roundabout way from an internment camp in England via Vancouver and Samoa. The ‘ Western Samoa Mai! ’ of August 3 says; “ A cablegram appearing in tho ‘ Daily Province,’ Vancouver, states that Captain Franz von Rintelen, who is now interned in England, said that Count von Luckncr had disappeared mysteriously. Von Rintelen believed that the count was in a concentration camp because of his anti-Nazi views.” The clause in the Finance Committee’s report presented to lust night’s meeting of the City Council, which recommended the 5 per cent, increase in wages, was carried unanimously, councillors expressing tho opinion that tho increase should apply to all employees, whether or not they were covered by awards. The chairman of tho committee (Cr W. B. Taverner) stated the additional amount required for the balance of the year would be £11.084. The transport department would have to find an additional £3.669 and the municipal department £3,200. White swans are now included in the ornamental fauna of the Woodhaugh Cardens. The gift of a pair was promised some weeks ago by Mr L. 0. Hazlett, of Salisbury, and these birds have now settled down in their new quarters. This was duly acknowledged at last night’s meeting of the council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, and Air R. Fountain reported further that before being shifted the birds had built a nest. Interference by the black swan already in residence is not anticipated, as the pair formerly lived in equanimity with a black pair in the country. Crowds of children have already shown their appreciation of the advent of the newcomers.

“ Give mo another cliatiee, your Worship, and 1 won’t come here again —I promise you I won’t. I’ve just had a lot of sorrow,” said Bryda Bailey, an old offender, to Mr J. It. Bartholomew, S.M., in the Police Court this morning when appearing on a fifth charge of drunkenness within the past six months. “ This woman is simply hopeless, and it is impossible to rely on any promise she may make,” Mr Bartholomew said, convicting defendant and ordering her detention in a Salvation Army reformatory for a period of 12 months.

An automatic false alarm from the premises of the Macintosh Caley Phoenix Company in Maclaggan street was answered by the Dunedin Fire Brigade at 12.58 this morning, while a similar alarm from the Chief Post Office was received at 2.53. A chimney fire in Moray Place was subdued at 8.40 this morning.

Tho efforts of several small boys to reproduce military tactics which caught their imagination were the source of some entertainment to onlookers in Hagley Park when a detachment of the 3rd Battalion, Class 11., National Military Reserve, was demonstrating to the battalion the art of camouflage and concealment (savs the Christchurch ‘ Press ’). When the battalion returned to the parade ground the boys were seen to have discarded their hats and to be creeping stealthily in a patch of long grass. They threw themselves flat on the ground and plucked grass to cover their heads, peering cautiously through the grass to see whether, they commanded an adequate field of vision. Members of the battalion remarked that it was a pity there was an age limit on the reserve.

The removal of railings from the reserve at Manor Place this morning was hailed by a number of observant people; as a prompt response by the City Corporation itself to the drive for metals that would otherwise be wasted. However, this was a mistaken. idea. The railings are being removed in response to a request by the Amenities Society, made some time ago, and their place will be taken by flower beds. That is not to say that the railings will be wasted. A use will bo found for them, but in the meantime the drive for metals docs not include iron.

His Honour Mr Justice Kennedy lias granted probate in the following estates: —Mary Ann Riley Matthews, Dunedin, widow ; Thomas Bates, Owaka, retired farmer; Elizabeth Tyler, Burnside, widow; Thomas Henry Pilbrow, Glenpark, fanner. Letters of administration have been granted in the estates of Annie M'Neur, Tuapeka Mouth, married woman; and Eliza Diana Stedman, Dunedin, widow. “ There are Very definite indications that synthetic substances are going to hit some of our primary products very hard,” said Dr R. O. Page, works manager of the Woolston Tanneries, in a luncheon address on the development of synthetic materials to the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Society of Accountants. “Just as refrigeration produced revolutionary developments in farming in New Zealand, so I believe, will synthetic substances, but, unfortunately, not in such a favourable way,” Dr Page said. “ Already kauri gum has been greatly reduced in value by the introduction of a wide range of synthetic resins. This has affected a limited area of the North fslaud. Now there is prospect of serious threat to much larger industries.” Dr Page described the development of artificial silk, and later of synthetic wool. The production of artificial wool had increased rapidly, and although it was in various ways inferior to the natural wool it had its advantages in that it did not shrink and was not attacked by moth.

A milkman who attended a publicmeeting to discuss the zoning scheme at the Woolston School last evening said he was puzzled to knew what the zoning scheme was all about (says the Christchurch ‘ Press ’). Ho was told it was to save petrol, but be had been using a horse and cart exclusively for five years, and when he asked why the scheme should concern him he was told that it must. He said he did not use any The secretary told him that even if he did not use any petrol he had to come under the zoning scheme with his horse and cart.

A fully-attended meeting of the Greymouth brancli of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union unanimously carried the following resolution: — “ That the Greymouth branch of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union strongly protests against the action of the Government in wasting money by creating highly-paid boards while it is crucifying the workers fay excessive taxation.” The executive of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association does not agree with the attitude taken by the New Zealand headquarters of the association over the Christchurch suggestion that members should subscribe towards the cost of a fighter aeroplane to be named after “ Cobber ” Kain. Headquarters decided to advise Christchurch that the National Patriotic Fund Board had been told that no matter how much money was raised it would be impossible to produce any more aeroplanes, and that such an appeal would prejudice the appeal for funds for rehabilitation and complicate the position of the Dominion’s sterling exchange. Appreciation was expressed of the spirit in which the suggestion was made; “ hut the circumstances do not permit of its adoption,” tho circular from the Dominion Executive said..

“ This is the smallest letter I have ever received,” said the town clerk of Sumner (Mr J. F. Menzies), holding np a piece of paper five inches by three in size at the meeting of the Sumner Borough Council last evening (says the Christchurch ‘Press’). The letter, which came from Sydney, accompanied a cheque for rates. The sender, in excusing the “ scrap of paper,” wrote: “ We are cutting everything to the bone.” He added : “ Here we are all trying to meet the stress, and one has such a feeling of New Zealand’s war effort that one feels bound to do a bit where possible for ‘ Down Under.’ ” The Dunedin Gardening Ciub meets to* night at 7.45 in the V.M.C.A. Rooms.